#TIFF21: “TRUE THINGS” REVIEW

By Mr. Will Wong

 Kate (Ruth Wilson) lives a mundane life as a Benefits claims worker. She encounters a former convict claimant (Tom Burke), whom she is seduced by into an all-consuming affair. Her world quickly unravels, finding herself obsessed with him completely. Unsure where she stands, we ride Kate‘s highs and lows waiting on his unpredictability. And through this affair, we see her really come to life as those around her discourage her from moving ahead with this mysterious stranger who can’t seem to give her stability.

Directed by Harry Wootliff, TRUE THINGS successfully captures the feeling and repercussions of lust so authentically. Wilson is a real revelation giving us pure vulnerability as a woman figuring out what she wants as she throws herself into something potentially catastrophic. And this is part of the Film’s allure, we want to see where this all leads even if it might not be clear in the end.

While the pace is languid at times, and we wish we get the clarity we desire through it all, such is life and Wootliff gives us a precise slice of it. Wilson‘s fantastic work is something that perhaps others in similar type relationships can take away and reflect on their own paths.

TRUE THINGS screens at TIFF ’21:

Tue, Sep 14 IN-PERSON TIFF Bell Lightbox 12:00pm

Wed, Sep 15 DIGITAL PREMIERE SCREENING digital TIFF Bell Lightbox

Availability: Canada 9:00pm

Thu, Sep 16 N-PERSON TIFF Bell Lightbox 9:30 am

Fri, Sep 17 DIGITAL SECOND SCREENING digital TIFF Bell Lightbox

Availability: Canada 5:00pm

#TIFF21: ADDITIONAL TITLES ANNOUNCED IN DOCS, MIDNIGHT MADNESS, WAVELENGTHS AND CONTEMPORARY WORLD CINEMA PROGRAMMES

More titles have been announced for TIFF ’21 in the TIFF Docs, Midnight Madness, Wavelengths and Contemporary World Cinema Programmes. Among those premiering at the Festival this September in Toronto are Cannes Palme d’Or winner TITANE in the Midnight Madness Programme, getting the Opening Film slot.

Also surfacing at TIFF is Sundance hit JOCKEY starring Clifton Collins Jr. The Film competed in the World Cinema Dramatic Competition, and also win Collins the US Dramatic Special Jury Award for Best Actor and got picked-up by Sony Pictures Classics shortly after. TRUE THINGS starring The Affair‘s Ruth Wilson also will be presented in the Contemporary World Cinema Programme alongside Jockey, among others.

The Festival runs September 9–18, 2021 and will be a combination of in-person and virtual events and screenings.

Titles announced today include:

TIFF DOCS
Presented by A&E IndieFilms

TIFF Docs Opening Film 
Attica Stanley Nelson | USA
World Premiere

Beba Rebeca Huntt | USA/Mexico
World Premiere

Becoming Cousteau Liz Garbus | USA
International Premiere

Burning Eva Orner | Australia
World Premiere

Comala Gian Cassini | Mexico
World Premiere

The Devil’s Drivers Mohammed Abugeth, Daniel Carsenty | Qatar/France/Lebanon/Germany
World Premiere

Flee Jonas Poher Rasmussen | Denmark/France/Sweden/Norway
Canadian Premiere

Hold Your Fire Stefan Forbes | USA
World Premiere

Listening to Kenny G Penny Lane | USA
World Premiere

Oscar Peterson: Black + White Barry Avrich | Canada
World Premiere

The Rescue E. Chai Vasarhelyi, Jimmy Chin | USA/United Kingdom
International Premiere

Three Minutes – A Lengthening Bianca Stigter | Netherlands/United Kingdom
Canadian Premiere

Wochiigii lo: End of the Peace Heather Hatch | Canada
World Premiere

WAVELENGTHS FEATURES

Futura Pietro Marcello, Francesco Munzi, Alice Rohrwacher | Italy
North American Premiere

The Girl and the Spider (Das Mädchen und die Spinne) Ramon Zürcher, Silvan Zürcher | Switzerland 
North American Premiere

Wavelengths Opening Film 
Neptune Frost Saul Williams, Anisia Uzeyman | Rwanda/USA
North American Premiere

A Night of Knowing Nothing Payal Kapadia | India/France
International Premiere

Ste. Anne Rhayne Vermette | Canada
North American Premiere

The Tsugua Diaries (Diários de Otsoga) Maureen Fazendeiro, Miguel Gomes | Portugal 
North American Premiere

WAVELENGTHS SHORTS

The Capacity for Adequate Anger Vika Kirchenbauer | Germany 
World Premiere

Dear Chantal (Querida Chantal) Nicolás Pereda | Mexico/Spain
International Premiere

earthearthearth Daïchi Saïto | Canada
North American Premiere

Inner Outer Space Laida Lertxundi | Spain
North American Premiere

Polycephaly in D Michael Robinson | USA 
World Premiere

“The red filter is withdrawn.” (“Le-deu-pil-teo-ga Cheol-hoe-doeb-ni-da.”) Minjung Kim | South Korea
North American Premiere

Train Again Peter Tscherkassky | Austria
North American Premiere

MIDNIGHT MADNESS 

After Blue (Dirty Paradise) Bertrand Mandico | France
North American Premiere

DASHCAM Rob Savage | United Kingdom/USA
World Premiere

Saloum Jean Luc Herbulot | Senegal
World Premiere Midnight Madness Opening Film 
Titane Julia Ducournau | France
North American Premiere

You Are Not My Mother Kate Dolan | Ireland
World Premiere

Zalava Arsalan Amiri | Iran
North American Premiere

SPECIAL PRESENTATIONS
Presented by Visa
(New additions to previously announced programme)

Ahed’s Knee (Ha’berech) Nadav Lapid | Israel/France/Germany
North American Premiere

The Box (La Caja) Lorenzo Vigas | USA/Mexico
North American Premiere (previously announced in Contemporary World Cinema) 

France Bruno Dumont | France/Germany/Italy/Belgium 
North American Premiere

Where Is Anne Frank? Ari Folman | Belgium/France/Netherlands/Luxembourg/Israel
North American Premiere

CONTEMPORARY WORLD CINEMA 
Presented by Sun Life
(New additions to previously announced programme)

7 Prisoners (7 Prisioneiros) Alexandre Moratto | Brazil
North American Premiere

Compartment No. 6 Juho Kuosmanen | Finland/Germany/Estonia/Russia
North American Premiere

The Gravedigger’s Wife Khadar Ayderus Ahmed | France/Somalia/Germany/Finland
North American Premiere

Jockey Clint Bentley | USA
International Premiere

Small Body Laura Samani | Italy/France/Slovenia
North American Premiere

True Things Harry Wootliff | United Kingdom
North American Premiere

More details here.

(Photo credit: Sony Pictures Classics)